The Choice
by SneetchesToo
Summary: Ethan is faced with a difficult choice and everyone but him seems to know the answer. (WILLISH)
1. Avoidance

**Title** : the Choice  
 **Author** : SneetchesToo  
 **Rating** : PG-13 for most chapters (there are a few curse words); there is one chapter that will be M for Mature but I will indicate it at at the beginning of the chapter  
 **Pairing** : Ethan/Leanne; mentions of Noa/Mario later on in the story  
 **Summary** : Ethan is faced with a difficult choice and everyone but him seems to know the answer.  
 **Author's Note** : This story is based off of prompts from Tumblr. Each chapter is based off of a different spoken line. I will indicate the line at the beginning of each chapter, as well as a short glimpse at what the chapter is about.

 ****This is in the same universe as On a Mission, etc. this takes place about 7 months later, so about 3 months after Some Secrets ended. Again, I try to make it so that my stories can be read separate from each other, so I try not to link them together too much.**

—

 _Chapter 1: Avoidance  
"Why are you avoiding me?" – Ethan's been keeping a secret from Leanne._

Leanne knew something was up the minute Ethan didn't smile at her over coffee one Thursday morning. In fact, the simple fact that he didn't have coffee with her at all was enough to tip her off. She knew he had successfully dropped Ariel off at school, the teen having sent her a text to let her know she had made it okay. But when he didn't show up for their coffee date like they had previously planned she started to worry. Her first call had been to Campbell, asking him if he had called the Colonel in. But he said that he hadn't, and that he wasn't planning on seeing him until the start of his shift that evening. That was her first clue.

Her second clue came when she tried calling him, four times in a 10 minute period, and he didn't answer. She contemplated driving by his apartment to see if he went home, having spent the previous night at her place with Ariel while she finished up a 48 shift. However, she didn't want him to feel like he was being watched, she wasn't one of those women, honestly. But as worried as she was, she decided to just wait it out.

Her third clue came when Ariel called her at 3:00, telling her that Ethan had never shown up at the school like they had discussed. Telling the girl that she would be there immediately she quickly threw on some shoes and got in her car, pulling her phone back out to give the man a call. Voice mail, again. This time, she decided to text him, hoping for a better outcome than her previous attempts.

 _Is everything okay Ethan?_ She hit send before pulling out of the driveway and heading towards the school. She wanted to be angry with him, leaving the teen at school on her own was unlike him, but something deep inside her told her that he must have his reasons. She just wish she knew what those reasons were.

Her fourth clue, the one that really concerned her, came when she showed up for her shift the following evening, 48 hours after having last talked to him, to find that he was nowhere to be found. She searched the locker room, the break room, the on-call rooms, and even the roof, all resulting in the same discovery, Ethan Willis wasn't there. She decided to go to Campbell, knowing that it would either work in her favor, or against, to get the ER director involved.

"Where is he?" The words left Campbell's mouth before Leanne could even knock and she straightened herself up immediately, setting her eyes on the man on the other side of the desk.

"I was going to ask you the same question." She crossed her arms in front of her. "I haven't been able to get a hold of him for the past 48 hours."

"He called out sick last night." Campbell stood, moving to lean against his desk on the other side, a gesture Leanne recognized as him trying to make a not-so-calm conversation seem calm.

"Sick? Ethan's been here a year and I've never heard him so much as sneeze." Leanne was getting angry now, if he really was sick, why couldn't he just tell her that? She would've been at his side in an instant. Unless that was exactly the opposite of what he wanted.

"He said he was throwing up." Campbell sighed, dropping his arms to his sides. "He sounded like he had been crying though. You two have a fight or something?"

"No." Leanne felt her shoulders slump, the anger leaving her body, knowing that if Ethan had let even the smallest amount of emotion show while talking to Will that something had to be up. "We were fine Monday night when we were last together." She paused, waiting for the inevitable huff from the man, but she didn't receive one. "He stayed with Ariel while I was working. When we talked Wednesday night everything was fine."

"You haven't heard from him since then?" Will was getting concerned, knowing that the two had become quite inseparable the past 7 months, their show in the middle of Center Stage nearly 3 months ago still being talked about around the water cooler.

"No." She turned her head downward, cupping her hands together in front of her before continuing. "He dropped Ariel off at school yesterday and that's the last either one of us has heard from him." She sighed, fighting back tears that she knew she couldn't show in front of her boss. "He hasn't even returned Ariel's calls. She was pretty upset this morning too." She remembered the look on the teen's face when she had discovered that Ethan wasn't at the breakfast table like normal. "He was supposed to be taking her hiking tomorrow."

Campbell sighed, moving forward to put his hands on the older woman's arms. "I'm sure everything's fine Leanne. Maybe he's just trying to avoid getting you guys sick too." Will wanted to believe that. He wanted to believe that the man wasn't purposefully avoiding his family. Unfortunately, something inside told him differently.

"I'm sure you're right Will." Leanne offered him a smile and straightened up. "Let me know if you hear from him again?"

"Of course." Campbell pulled back, returning the smile as she walked out of his office and back to the busyness of the hospital.

—

Leanne's shift came and went without incidence, a relatively quiet night helping to ease some of the concern on her mind. She bid her goodbyes to the residents and Jesse and headed to Campbell's office, hoping the man had heard from Ethan at some point during the night, her calls and texts still having not been returned.

"I haven't heard from him Leanne." Campbell's voice sounded defeated and she stopped in her tracks. "I left him a message to see if he was coming in tonight, but I never got an answer."

"When was that?" She was starting to fear the worst, and the dread in the pit of her stomach increased.

"Four hours ago." Will checked his watch to make sure he was correct.

Leanne sighed, "I'm going by his apartment. Will you do me a favor?" She hated to ask this, but she knew the director would be leaving soon, having to get home to his own daughter.

"Anything." She expected hesitation, smiling a little when he responded immediately.

"Can you stop by and check on Ariel on your way home? Just for a minute?" She would've asked Jesse, or even Noa, if she had thought about it before they had both left, but she also didn't want to bring any more attention to the situation than necessary.

"Of course." Campbell pulled his phone out and typed something real quick. "I'll pick her up, take her and Emily to get some breakfast." He offered her a smile before continuing. "Maybe help distract her a little?"

"Thank you Will." Leanne offered him a smile. "I'll let her know to get ready."

Will nodded, returning to the file in front of him as Leanne walked away, pulling her phone from her jacket pocket.

After alerting Ariel that Will would be by within the hour and that she should be dressed, she texted Ethan again, hoping that this time she'd get a response.

 _I don't know what's up with you but I'm coming over to make sure you're okay._ She hit send just as she entered the elevator to the parking deck, thankful for the silence the empty car provided her.

 _Please don't do that._ He responded almost immediately and her heart dropped.

 _Why not?_ She typed back, praying that the elevator would stay empty all the way to the 5th floor, knowing that she was barely holding back the tears that were threatening to fall.

 _I'm fine_. She huffed, slamming her hand against the wall.

 _No the fuck you're not._ She wasn't one to cuss, finding the use of the explicit words often unnecessary, but she was pissed and she didn't care if he knew it.

 _Leanne Marie don't you dare come over here._ She huffed again, glad that the elevator had finally reached its destination and the doors were open. She raced to her car and got in, typing back a response before backing out of her space.

 _Nice try. Your use of my middle name just confirmed that my arrival is necessary, if only to kick your ass._ She didn't even stop to read his response, just made the quick 10 minute drive to his place in silence.

When she arrived at his apartment building she quickly pulled her car into a space, throwing it in park, and shutting the car off immediately. She got out, checking her phone as she slammed the door behind her. His words stared up at her and she felt her heart break, knowing instantly that something was seriously wrong.

 _Please just go home Leanne. I can't face you right now. It's just too much. Please._ She read his last message again, debating whether or not to turn around and go back, knowing that there was a pleading in his words that she'd never experienced before. Sighing to herself she decided to go ahead and go up to his apartment. She took the stairs two at a time, stopping when she got to his apartment door. She knocked, knowing that even though she had a key, now was probably not the best time to put it to use.

"Go away Leanne!" She heard his voice through the door, the silence around her seeming to echo the sound.

"Not happening." She replied, reaching down to sort his key out of the others. "Either open the door, or I'm unlocking it myself." She waited a few minutes, prepared to unlock the door from her end, when she heard movement inside.

The lock turned and the door opened, Ethan appearing on the other side. The sight of him normally made her heart do somersaults, however, today the sight of him made her heart sink. He was ragged looking, his hair disheveled, eyes dark and blood shot. He had obviously been crying at some point, that much she could tell, and he looked as though he had probably slept in the jeans and white t-shirt that he was wearing. She wanted to reach out and pull him into her arms and kiss away all his worries. But then she remembered why she was here.

"Why are you avoiding me?" She asked, her arms crossing across her chest, her face set in a stern expression.

Ethan didn't reply, just leaned against the door frame and sighed. They stood there for a few minutes, staring each other down across the few feet of space between them. He was the first one to break the silence, stepping back and opening the door fully, gesturing for her to come in. "I have to talk to you about something."

Leanne's heart sank, her gut telling her to turn around and run, that nothing good could come out of this conversation. "Okay." She whispered quietly, following him into the apartment. She stopped just inside the door as he shut it behind her. He then lead her into the kitchen, handing her a piece of paper that was laying on the kitchen counter. "What's this?" She asked, taking the paper from him but refusing to look any further when she saw the words **'Department of the Army'** printed in bold black letters at the top.

"It's a job offer." His voice was quiet, reserved, and she could see his hand shaking as she took the paper from him.

"But you have a job." She leaned back against the counter, needing the support to keep her from falling.

"Just read it Lea." He dropped to the nearest chair, his head going to his hands, and he waited.

Leanne sighed before taking a deep breath, letting her eyes fall over the words on the letter in front of her. She didn't understand some of it, place names and job titles seeming alien to her, but she understood the gist of it. "What does this mean?" Her voice trembled, the tears threatening to fall, and she collapsed into the chair across from him.

"It's an offer." He reached out, gently taking the letter from her hands and glancing at it, before laying it on the table. "Not an order."

"Which means what exactly?" Her eyes found his and she choked back a sob, reaching out to take his hands in hers.

"I don't have to say 'yes'." There was a hint of something more in his voice, and Leanne feared the worst.

"But you want to say 'yes'?" She asked, her heart already breaking in two at the thought. She had just gotten used to having him around, how could she adjust to him not being there anymore. And what would she tell Ariel? The girl was so in love with the idea of them being together, a family, she couldn't bear to break her heart like that.

"I don't know." She barely heard his response, but it was enough to send her heart for a lurch.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" Her voice cracked at the end of her question, and she no longer held the tears back, letting them roll down her face as she pulled her hands from his and stood, pacing the kitchen floor.

"I haven't made a decision yet." He sighed, placing his hands in his lap before continuing. "I have 2 weeks to make up my mind. I just need some time to think about it."

She wanted to slap him, so that's just what she did. Hard and firm and it sent a crack through the silent apartment. He reached out to pull her close but she backed away, holding her hands out in front of her as she struggled to speak. "You shouldn't have to think about it Ethan." Her voice was barely a whisper and she wrapped her arms around her stomach to keep herself from breaking.

"It's a great offer Leanne," He stood, trying to move closer to her, stopping when she pushed him away with both hands, "I'd be an idiot not to consider it."

"You'd be an idiot to even think about it!" She shouted this time, her face red in anger, her hands trembling as the tears of sadness turned to tears of anger. "You should already know the answer!" She pushed him again, shoving him so hard his back hit the kitchen counter. He reached out and gently grabbed a hold of her wrists, pulling her to him despite the punches she continued to throw at his chest. "You should want to stay." She whispered, her body failing her as it collapsed against his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist as he pressed a kiss to her head.

He couldn't find the words, everything that he wanted to say just sounded wrong, so he decided to stay silent. They stood that way for a few minutes, her crying into his chest, his hands running through her hair and down her back. She pulled away when she heard her phone ring and he tried to stop her from going, but then he heard her voice catch as she greeted the young girl he'd grown to love like his own, and he stopped. "Ariel." He whispered her name and his heart broke. He hadn't even considered how this would affect her, and he didn't want to even think about having this talk with her. The tears he'd been holding back since Leanne arrived started to threaten to fall again and he choked back a sob.

"I've got to go." Leanne shoved her phone back into her jacket pocket and walked to the door.

"Leanne please…" He was pleading with her now and he knew how pathetic he sounded, but he didn't want her to go. He wanted to take her to bed and make love to her and just forget this impossibly hard decision that he was being forced to make.

"I'll see you at work tonight Ethan." And then she slammed the apartment door shut for good measure, leaving him alone in the kitchen, the tears finally falling from his eyes when he realized just how badly he had screwed this all up.

 ***I'm trying to not make Campbell look like a dick in this story, because to be honest, he's kind of growing on me after having watched season 2 for like the 4th time. I also think that he has the potential to have a good relationship with both Leanne and Ethan, so I'm trying to make that apparent here.**

 ****I'm also apparently a sucker for Ethan/Leanne angst, so here you have it!**


	2. Just Peachy

_Chapter 2: Just Peachy  
"For once, could you please stop pretending everything is peachy and actually talk to me?" – Ethan tries to get Leanne to talk to him about._

It had been four days since Leanne had left Ethan's apartment and while she was still sad and her heart was still aching, she was doing her best to keep her cool, especially in front of him, and especially while at Angels. They hadn't talked since then, other than work related phrases and requests, and even then she had often resorted to pulling Jesse or Rollie to her aid instead of him. Despite her best efforts, everyone knew something was up, but she refused to let on.

She had only wished that had worked at home though. After meeting Will and the girls for breakfast she had driven her and Ariel home in silence, dreading having to tell her about Ethan's offer. Ariel had noticed her mood change though, and when she had tried to talk to her about it Leanne had shut down. She spent the day narrowly avoiding the teen, a task that was incredibly hard, but by that night Ariel had cornered her and made her talk. She told the girl all about what happened at Ethan's apartment, and all about the letter he had received, and to say she was devastated would have been an understatement. She had quietly left Leanne's room still in tears a little while later, claiming that she just wanted to sleep. Leanne had tried the rest of the weekend to get the girl to come out of her room but she had failed, Ariel choosing to sleep all day on Sunday. When she had finally emerged from her room Monday morning she looked defeated, and when Leanne had dropped her off at school she hadn't even muttered a goodbye. That had been two days ago and the girl was still barely speaking to her, often going straight to her room in the afternoons and staying there until morning.

Leanne wasn't just mad at Ethan for doing this to her, she was mad at him for doing this to Ariel too. And even though he hadn't made his decision yet, or so he said, the thought that he was even considering it was enough to send her heart into overdrive. She didn't want him to leave, regardless of where he was going, and she certainly didn't want him to leave Ariel. They had made a deal shortly after telling Ariel about their relationship that even if things went south between them, which neither one of them saw happening, that they wouldn't let it change their relationships with the teen. And they had both promised that the girl would always be able to turn to either one of them if she needed them, and that she'd never be alone again.

She knew that having Ethan in Ariel's life had dramatically improved her behavior and she had taken to Ethan almost immediately. Now that their relationship wasn't a secret she often requested that Ethan stay over, asking for his help with homework and various school projects, she had even started asking for him in the middle of the night when her nightmares woke her up. At first Leanne had been a little concerned that Ethan would get scared off of the instant "father" role that he had been put in, but he took it without complaint. He often volunteered to take the teen to school, allowing Leanne extra time to sleep in the morning. And he would get out of bed in the middle of the night and move to Ariel's room without a hint of anger in his movements. Most nights he would return to bed a little while later, the teen having been calmed down and relaxed enough to fall back asleep. Some nights though, she would catch him staying in the girl's room, sitting on the bed with her pillow in his lap, his fingers running through her hair to try and soothe her cries. Leanne knew that if Ariel lost Ethan there would be no going back. And she wasn't exactly sure that she wanted to face that situation, knowing full and well that healing the girl's broken heart again wouldn't be easy.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the door and looked up to see the person who had been occupying her mind a lot lately standing there, a patient chart in his hands, a tired look in his eyes. "Can I help you Dr. Willis?" Her voice was cold and broken, something she had tried to avoid at first, but now it was just the best way to protect herself from showing him how badly this was killing her.

Ethan sighed, he hated that she had stopped calling him Ethan, it had only been 4 days, but every time he heard the words 'Dr. Willis' leave her mouth he wanted to curl up in a hole and die. He hated the sound of it, so cold and emotionless. He had always loved the way 'Ethan' had sounded when she said it, like it was the most magical thing in the world. Even when they were in a code black and things were chaotic and loud, the sound of his name on her lips would send shivers down his spine. He especially loved the way it sounded when they made love, sweet and sensual, like he was something to be treasured. He wondered if he would ever hear her mutter his first name again.

"Can we talk?" He was hesitant to even come to her office in the first place, Jesse having mentioned something about her wanting some quiet time, a migraine possibly in the works by the way she was acting.

"About what?" She sighed, removing her reading glasses and rubbing her eyes with her fingers, willing the headache to go away.

"Us." He whispered, moving to close the door behind him.

"No." She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to tell him everything that had been weighing so heavily on her mind the past four days. She wanted to beg him to stay with her, to never leave, no matter what. But she was at work, and now wasn't the time, nor the place. "It isn't appropriate to have that conversation here."

"Dammit Leanne. For once, could you please just stop pretending that everything is peachy keen and just talk to me about it?" He was the one to raise his voice, something he rarely did, and it caused her to jump in her seat, something that he noticed and immediately regretted. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice." He moved farther into her office, depositing himself into one of the chairs across from hers and hanging his head. "Please Leanne, I just want to talk to you about this."

Leanne leaned back in her chair and squeezed her eyes shut, knowing that the tears were threatening to fall. She wanted so badly to just curl up in his arms right there and forget the world, but she still had six hours left in her shift. "Not right now Ethan."

His heart jumped at the use of his first name, despite the depressing whisper, and he offered her a small smile. "After shift?"

She leaned forward in her chair and looked at him, the sight of his ruffled hair and tired eyes making her aching heart melt. "I have to take Ariel to school."

"Later then?" He leaned forward, reaching out to take her hand in his. "After you drop her off?"

"I have errands to run today." She was making excuses at this point, knowing full and well that taking Ariel to school would take all of 20 minutes, her errands probably not even an hour.

"I'll go with you." He whispered, the pleading look in his eyes causing her to sigh.

"I'll text you after I get Ariel settled at school." She squeezed his hands just as her pager went off and she let go of them as she stood. "Okay?"

His pager went off just seconds later and he stood as well, blocking her body between his and the desk as he did. "Promise?" He knew she would try and avoid him as long as possible, payback being a bitch and all, and he wanted to make sure that she knew how serious he was about this.

"I promise Ethan." She placed her hands on his chest, fixing the collar of his scrub shirt and offering him a small smile. "I'll give you a call once I get back to my place." And with that she placed a kiss to his cheek and walked around him and out of the office door, him hot on her heels as she made her way to Center Stage.

—

Leanne's six hours had ended rather quickly, the influx of patients having made the time pass by without a thought. She had gathered her things and texted Ariel, making sure the teen was already awake, and had started heading towards the elevator when Ethan caught up to her.

He was still dressed in his scrubs, his shirt dotted with blood and his eyes hollow and tired. "Ethan?" She did her best not to sound concerned, but she was.

"I might be a little longer." He looked behind him when he heard Jesse's voice shout for help. "Can I just come over when I'm free?"

The pleading look in his eyes was enough to make her forget about her plans to ditch him completely that day. "Yeah. I'll be home." She whispered, reaching out to take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

He leaned in and kissed her temple, offering her a small but sweet smile. "Thank you." And with that he was off, heading back into the chaos of the hospital.

She sighed, grabbing the straps of her bag tightly in her hands as she stepped into the elevator. "You're welcome." She whispered to herself, pressing the button for her floor of the parking garage before leaning back against the elevator wall.

She made it home in record time, the traffic light for a Thursday morning, and she quietly made her way inside. The shower in the upstairs bathroom was running and she glanced at the clock above the stove as she placed her things on the kitchen island, not enough time to make breakfast for Ariel, but definitely enough time for a cup of coffee. She had just finished pouring her cup when the teen descended the stairs, her backpack slung over one shoulder, a solemn look on her face.

"Morning." Leanne offered the girl a smile, hoping for a better morning than the last few. Ariel just shrugged back at her, moving past her to grab her lunch from the counter, heading to the door without a word. Leanne sighed, knowing that the girl was still trying to deal with whatever she was feeling in regards to Ethan's absence. She knew that she just needed time, but she hated that she was suffering too, the teen not wanting to even speak to her since hearing about her argument with Ethan. She followed her quietly to the car, getting in and setting her coffee cup in the cup holder. Once Ariel had her seat belt on she backed out of the driveway and headed in the direction of the school, praying that once this week was over the two of them would be able to move past this awkwardness.

After having dropped Ariel off at school Leanne returned home and showered, choosing to put on her pajamas instead of regular clothes, knowing full and well that she was too exhausted to run any errands just yet. She climbed into bed and shot Ethan a quick text, letting him know that she was home and that she was going to try and sleep some, before curling up under the covers and falling asleep.

She was woken up four hours later to the bed dipping, a shirtless Ethan crawling in behind her, his arm gently making its way around her waist. She let out a sigh of contentment, having missed the feeling of him in her bed over the past week. He nuzzled his face against her neck, his beard still slightly damp from his shower and he pulled her closer to his chest, dropping a kiss to her shoulder as he shut his eyes and relaxed against the pillows. Leanne wanted to push him away, she wanted to tell him that he didn't deserve to hold her like that, especially since he had yet to tell her what his decision was, but then she heard him let out a quiet snore, his body already relaxing enough to allow him to sleep, and she couldn't fight it. Instead, she closed her own eyes and relaxed into his embrace, allowing the quiet sound of him breathing to lull her to sleep.

The next time Leanne woke up it was darker in the room, fearing that she had slept the day away and forgotten poor Ariel at school she jumped up, pausing when she found that the bed was empty beside her. She reached out for her phone and breathed out a sigh of relief when she realized that it was only a quarter after one, meaning she still had an hour before she would have to leave and get the girl. Looking around the room she shivered, realizing that it must have been raining outside, the distant sound of thunder making the darkness of the room seem even creepier. Getting up she made a quick trip to the bathroom before grabbing Ethan's sweatshirt off of the chair by the window, pulling it over her shoulders and down her body with a sigh, his scent still lingering despite the fact that it had been a few weeks since he had last worn it.

She made her way downstairs and heard the TV in the living room on, the sounds of a baseball game echoing through the otherwise quiet room. She could see Ethan's feet on the coffee table, an empty plate and half-full cup of coffee on the end table next to him.

He turned his head when he heard her approach, a small smile coming to his lips at the sight of her in her flannel bottoms, his sweatshirt swallowing her upper half, making her look small and child like. "Hey." He whispered, not entirely sure how to respond to her, the past few days having taken a toll on their communication skills.

"Hi." She whispered back. She hesitated briefly before making her way around the couch, dropping to sit next to him, pulling the blanket over her legs as she tucked herself against his side.

He smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he placed a kiss to her head. "Did you sleep okay?" He almost felt silly asking the question, knowing that if her week had been anything like his that she probably hadn't slept at all the past few days.

"Yeah. Better than I have in a while actually." Her words were whispered again and he squeezed her shoulder, knowing what she was trying to say without actually saying it.

"I missed you too." He whispered, letting his head fall to rest on top of hers.

She chuckled at his response, remembering just how well he knew her, and she reached out to take his left hand in hers. "How about you?" She ran her fingers along his palm, a gesture she knew always calmed him, "You looked pretty worn when I last saw you."

He smiled, letting his hand relax into hers, his eyes falling closed as she continued her movements. "It wasn't nearly enough sleep." She squeezed his hand in response, letting their joined hands fall to his lap as she relaxed against him. "But it was better than the last few times I've tried."

She knew what he meant and she nodded in understanding. "Good." She whispered, tucking her feet against his on the table, the blanket covering them both as they tangled their feet together.

They sat that way for a little while, just enjoying being together, the sound of Ethan's phone beeping on the table startled them out of their moment. He sighed when he saw Ariel's name on his screen and leaned his head back against the couch.

Leanne spoke first, lifting her head from his shoulder. "I didn't know you two were speaking to each other."

"We're not." He sighed again, sliding and unlocking the phone so he could read her message. "I texted her to let her know that I was here and that I'd appreciate it if we could talk tonight."

"Ah." Leanne stood, stretching her back and glancing at the clock on the wall, she squeezed his shoulder before making her way upstairs to change. She was stopped when his hand grabbed hers gently, holding her in place. "I should get ready Ethan, I'll have to leave here soon to go get her."

"I'll go with you." He replied, tilting his head back to look at her, a pleading look in his eyes.

"Is she okay with that?" Leanne motioned towards the phone, knowing that if she was going to get involved in this she better be prepared.

"She said she doesn't want to see me at all." He let out a breath, closing his eyes as he released Leanne's hand. "Which I don't think is entirely fair."

Leanne sighed and reached out to run her hands through his hair, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. "She's hurting too you know?"

"I know." Ethan's head fell forward and he bit his lip to keep himself from letting out a cry. "It isn't fair to either one of you and I know that." He closed his eyes, the tears falling with no chance of stopping. "But I at least want to talk to her, let her know what's going on."

Leanne squeezed his shoulders and placed a kiss to his cheek. "I'll go pick her up," she pulled back and turned his head towards her, her eyes meeting his, "alone." She kissed his nose before continuing, "But I'll make sure that she knows that this is a talk that needs to take place. And that tonight is the best time to do it."

He nodded his head 'okay', knowing that his words would fail him, and he dropped his phone to the couch. Leanne dropped a kiss to his head before making her way upstairs to change. She returned downstairs a few minutes later and Ethan had moved to the kitchen, washing his dirty dishes before placing them in the rack to dry. He offered her a smile as she dropped a kiss to his lips, promising to be back soon, with Ariel in tow. He watched as she backed out of the drive way, his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of having to finally face the teen. He sighed again, turning back to the living room where he took his seat on the couch once more, certain that the waiting game was taking precious years off of his life.

 ****I know I'm absolutely evil over here with all this angst. Just wait, the next chapter is worse. And there's lots of Daddy!Ethan in the next one!**


	3. Hero Complex

_Chapter 3: Hero Complex  
"I don't need you. To save me, to fix me, to make me complete. You need to feed your hero complex, trying to fix everyone else. Save someone else, I don't want it and I don't need it." – Ethan and Ariel have a fight._

Leanne had made it to Ariel's school right at 2:30 and when she saw the teen standing in the rain, her eyes cast down at her feet, hands shoved in the pockets of her jacket, her heart broke. She pulled up beside her and quickly unlocked the door, making sure to turn the heat in the car on to warm up the soaked girl.

"Why didn't you wait inside Honey?" She turned to look at the teen and sighed when she just offered her a shrug before pulling her phone out of her pocket. Leanne reached across the space between them and stilled the girls hands before speaking. "Ariel. We need to talk about all of this."

Ariel's head flopped forward and she shook her head back and forth, the rain water flying off and hitting Leanne's window. "I don't want to talk about it. Not with you," she paused and turned to look at Leanne, sorrow in her eyes, "and certainly not with Ethan."

Leanne squeezed the girl's hands, "Honey, you have to talk to him." She turned her eyes back towards the road and placed her hands on the steering wheel. "He's having a hard time with this." Putting the car in drive she pulled away from the school and offered Ariel a sideways glance, her heart aching at the sight of the teen with her head pressed against the glass, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He hates that you're mad at him."

"Then he should've thought of that!" She shouted back, causing Leanne to jump. "He should've thought about how badly this would hurt us before he did all of this." She returned her head to its spot against the window and slumped down, choosing to ride the rest of the way in silence.

Leanne knew the girl was hurting, and she did have a point, Ethan should've considered them, but for all she knew he was going to stay. And since she didn't know what he had decided, she knew that him and Ariel needed to have a talk, praying that if he saw just how much the young girl was hurting he would say 'no'.

When they pulled up outside of Leanne's house 15 minutes later they both got out quietly, racing through the rain to get inside. Ethan was waiting at the door, a small smile on his face at the sight of his two favorite people coming home to him. He opened the door for them both, stepping back to let them inside. Ariel blew right past him without saying a word, making her way upstairs to her room without a second thought.

Ethan sighed, his shoulders slumping forward as he turned his eyes to Leanne. "I guess we're a no-go on that talk huh?"

Leanne reached out and squeezed his hand, offering him her best smile. "She's tired Ethan. Maybe just let her take a shower and get settled first?" She meant for it sound like a statement, rather than a question, but at this point she was just trying to offer him some sort of comfort.

"Yeah." He pulled back from her, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets and walking back to the living room.

Leanne's heart was breaking, the sight of her people fighting tugging at her heart strings. She knew they were both hurting, and in different ways, but she also knew that they both needed each other to get through this. Whatever Ethan's decision was, she knew that she couldn't turn her back on him, as much as she wanted to. She hoped that Ariel loved and respected the man enough to do the same. She wanted to follow him, offer him some sort of comfort, but she knew that there was little that she could say that would ease his worries. Instead she headed upstairs, preparing herself to talk to the teen once she was settled some.

—

Later that night after eating dinner in complete silence Ariel had stormed off to her room, muttering something about a test to study for, leaving Ethan and Leanne sitting at the table alone. Ethan had quietly cleared the plates before heading upstairs, where Leanne assumed he was going to try and shower. However, within a few minutes she heard Ariel's bedroom door open and her heart stopped.

"Hey kid." Ethan whispered, leaning against the door frame and offering the girl a smile.

"Geeze, don't you people knock anymore?" She was angry, throwing stuff into her backpack, slamming her books down on her bed.

"I did knock." He gestured toward the stereo on the girl's dresser with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think you could hear me."

Ariel rolled her eyes, flopping down onto her bed and pulling a book into her lap. "What do you want Ethan?" The anger in her tone made Ethan flinch and he stepped into the room quietly, reaching over to pause the song on her iPod.

"I wanted to talk to you." His hands returned to his pockets, an overused defense mechanism he noted. "I know things have been a little, rough, lately." He paused, his eyes shifting around the room, looking everywhere but at the girl in question.

"I don't want to talk." She huffed, slamming her book shut. "I've already told you that!" Her voice raised to an octave Ethan had never heard from her and he took a step back, not wanting to push her to far. "I've told you that. I've told Leanne that. I've told Campbell and Noa and Jesse that! I don't want to talk about this okay?! Nothing I say is going to keep you from leaving us! Nothing! So why bother?"

Ethan bowed his head and moved closer, pulling her desk chair out so that he could sit down in it, scooting himself closer to her. "Ariel please, let me help. Just talk to me okay?" His voice was soft and comforting, the opposite of what she expected considering that she was screaming at him. "I just want to talk."

"No!" She threw her hands up and paused when she saw the look of fear in Ethan's eyes. "I don't want to talk! I don't need you here! Leanne doesn't need you here! We don't need you to save us! You hear me? We don't need you! We'll be fine without you!" She was shaking now, her whole body feeling the force of the words she'd just shouted at the man that she had come to love like a father. She wiped her hand across her face, trying to keep the tears from falling. "Go be someone else's hero!"

Ethan froze at her words, knowing full and well that Leanne had to have heard their conversation by now. His heart broke in his chest, the image of the crying teen bringing tears to his eyes. He didn't know what to say back to her, fearing that she really meant it and that he had already lost her forever. He stood, making his way towards her bedroom door. He stopped, placing his hand on the door frame and turned back to look at her. She had her head down, clutching her pillow to her chest, tears streaming down her face, and he broke.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Ariel." He whispered. "Just know that that's not how I feel okay? I love you and I hope that one day you can see that." And with that he left. He had barely made it into the hallway before a sob left his body and he collapsed back against the wall, his head falling to his hands. He heard footsteps make their way up the stairs, arms quickly coming to wrap themselves around his body. He tried to push Leanne back, his heart and mind having a hard time separating Ariel's words into fact or fiction, but she wouldn't let him. She squeezed his back a little tighter before pulling back to take his head in her hands.

"Oh Ethan." She whispered, echoing words that she had muttered to him months prior in a similarly heartbreaking situation. She pulled him close, pressing a kiss to his forehead before wrapping her arms around him again. She sighed when he finally settled into her arms, pressing his face into the crook of her neck and sobbing.

They stood that way for a few minutes, Leanne doing her best to calm his trembling body. When she had finally calmed him down some she pulled back, using the pads of her thumbs to wipe the tears from his cheeks. She offered him a gentle smile, pressing her forehead to his. "Why don't you go lay down? I'll talk to her okay?"

Ethan simply nodded, pulling Leanne in for a heart wrenching kiss before making his way to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him in the process. He heard Leanne knock on the teen's door, calling out her name, but he stopped listening after that, choosing instead to fall into bed, the sound of the storm outside doing little to calm his nerves.

Leanne knocked on Ariel's door a third time before quietly turning the knob when she didn't get a response. The sight before her made her heart ache and she quietly made her way towards the teen. Sitting down next to her on the bed, she reached out and brushed some hair from her face, offering her a reassuring look. "Do you want to talk?"

Ariel shook her head 'no' but she didn't tell Leanne to leave, so that was a good sign. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Ariel's ragged breathing filling the otherwise silent room. It was Ariel who broke the silence first, her words surprising Leanne.

"Does he hate me?" Her words were whispered and Leanne barely heard them, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine, the look of pain in Ariel's eyes reminding her of a time when grief got the best of her.

"No sweetheart." Leanne whispered, pulling the girl in for a hug. "Not at all." She squeezed the girl in her arms, pressing a kiss to her head, before continuing. "He loves you very much Ariel," She pulled back from the girl, moving her head so that she could look into the girls eyes, "that's why this is so hard on him."

Ariel hiccuped, her hands coming up to wipe at her tears again. She swallowed and offered Leanne a sad look before speaking, "Do you think he's going to leave?" She asked, a seriousness in her tone that Leanne had never heard, making her sound much older than she appeared.

"I don't know hun." And Leanne honestly didn't know. Part of her was 100% certain that Ethan cared about the two of them too much to leave them. But then again, part of her knew how much the Army meant to him, and how badly he had wanted to leave Angels since arriving a little over a year ago. She had hoped that her and Ariel would be enough to convince him immediately to stay, but she knew he was struggling with his decision, although he wouldn't quite tell her why. "Maybe you should try talking to him?" She raised an eyebrow before smiling at the girl. "Calmly?"

Ariel chuckled, nodding her head up and down and offering Leanne a small smile. "Do you think he still wants to talk to me? He seemed pretty mad when he left." She hung her head again, the tears threatening to fall.

"Oh sweetie, he wasn't mad." Leanne reached up to brush the tears from the girl's cheeks, much like she had done to Ethan only a few minutes ago, "He's hurting, but I can promise you he's not mad."

Ariel nodded her head again before straightening herself up. She laid her pillow down on the bed and stood, making her way to the door. Leanne watched her with a weary look on her face, hesitant to go after the girl but knowing that this was a conversation the two needed to have alone.

Once she approached the master bedroom door Ariel stopped, uncertain of whether or not she wanted to continue, knowing that Ethan was feeling all kinds of pain, just like herself. She knocked gently, praying that he hadn't fallen asleep or stepped into the shower, knowing that if she waited she would lose all of her courage.

"Yeah." His voice sounded hollow, like he was barely holding on, and she felt horrible knowing that she had done this to him.

"Can I come in?" She whispered, pushing the door open enough to make herself visible on the other side.

Ethan quickly sat up in the bed, swinging his legs in front of him and offering her a gentle smile. "Of course sweetie."

She hesitated for a second, her body still trembling from their argument earlier, her nerves in overdrive. "Can we talk?" Her voice was quiet and Ethan barely heard her request.

"Yeah." His reply was soft and he extended his hands towards her, pulling her to stand in front of him when she placed her hands in his. "What's up?"

Ariel took a deep breath, and hung her head before continuing. "I'm sorry." Her voice quivered as she spoke and when Ethan pulled her in for a hug she broke down for the second time that night. Her arms wrapping themselves tightly around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. She shook in his arms, tears streaming down her face as she clung to him like a life line. "I'm sorry for saying those things to you earlier. I didn't mean any of it." She sniffled, pulling back to rub her tear filled eyes.

"It's okay hun." Ethan held her at arm's length and offered her a smile. "I know you're hurting, and sometimes people say things when they're in pain that they wouldn't otherwise say." He squeezed her arms before continuing. "I know you didn't mean it."

Ariel sniffled again, straightening herself up and offering Ethan a look he was sure she had learned from Leanne. "You're right, I am hurting." She sighed, and Ethan knew she was trying to be strong but he could see she was struggling. "Why are you doing this?"

Ethan took a deep breath and dropped his hands to his lap. "I don't want to leave you two. And I haven't made my decision yet," He paused and looked up, hoping to provide the teen with some sort of relief, but still seeing only pain in her eyes, "but I am weighing all of my options."

"Do you not want to stay?" Ariel's voice rose a little and she stepped back. "I thought you wanted to stay."

"I do want to stay Ariel." Ethan reached out for the girl again, taking her hands and pulling her back towards him. "Look, kid, I've never had to think about anyone else before okay?" He sighed and squeezed her hands. "It's always just been me. If the Army told me to go somewhere, or they offered me a position somewhere, I did what I wanted. If I wanted to leave I went." He searched her eyes for understanding before he continued. "I never had to worry about how my leaving would affect the people around me. And now that it does," He sighed, catching Leanne's eyes over Ariel's shoulder, "it scares the hell out of me."

Ariel was the one to sigh this time and she moved forward, wrapping her arms around his neck again, squeezing tightly. "Please don't go Ethan." She whispered against his shoulder.

Ethan hugged her back, his arms wrapping around her and holding her close, his eyes never leaving Leanne's. They stayed that way for a few minutes before Ariel finally stepped back. She reached up and wiped her eyes again, Ethan brushing the hair back from her face with a smile. "You should try and rest hun."

Ariel simply nodded, brushing past Leanne quietly in the doorway as she headed to her room. The door shut quietly and Leanne stood, looking into the bedroom, for several minutes before entering. The man sitting on her bed was not the strong Army Colonel that she knew so well. Instead he was broken and scared and she could tell his heart was breaking. She quietly made her way into the room, taking Ariel's place in front of him, and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

She felt Ethan shudder in her arms, his resolve breaking at last as the tears fell from his eyes, his arms clinging to Leanne tightly. "Please don't go Ethan." Leanne echoed the teen's earlier words and she felt Ethan tighten his grip as he pressed a kiss to her head. "Please don't go."

 ***I told you the Daddy!Ethan would be strong! I absolutely love the idea of him with Ariel and I pray that we get to see some of that in the new season!**

 ****The angst is strong y'all, I warned you. I promise that there will be sunshine and butterflies, eventually!**


	4. Mama Knows Best

_Chapter 4: Mama Knows Best  
"You're leaving?" – Jesse finds out about Ethan's offer and he's not impressed._

The next day Ethan struggled to get up and go to work, the feeling of Leanne snuggled tightly in his arms enough to make him forget the struggles of the decisions facing him. He knew deep down inside what he wanted to do, he knew he wanted to stay. The image of Ariel crying in front of him enough to break his normally strong exterior. He couldn't imagine leaving them, his girls, and he couldn't imagine a life without them. He had gotten used to falling asleep with Leanne tucked against him, their legs tangled together under the blankets, her hair a mess against his bare chest. And even more so, he had gotten used to having Ariel around. He was scared at first, scared that he wouldn't be able to provide the father figure for her that she needed, but he found that it came to him a lot easier than he expected. He had grown to enjoy spending time with the girl, helping her with homework and talking excitedly of all the places they would visit one day. He didn't want to even try to picture his world without them in it.

He had made it through the first hour of his shift without incident, avoiding the residents at all costs, Rollie only stopping to ask him if he was okay once. But then he had bumped into Jesse in the break room while trying to get a cup of coffee and his quiet afternoon ended.

"I hear you're leaving us?" The head nurse looked less than amused and he crossed his arms over his chest and blocked the door way, keeping the Colonel from being able to leave.

"Where did you hear that?" Ethan hated the rumor mill. And he especially hated it since it seemed that he and Leanne were often the topic of discussion in said mill.

"A little birdie told me." Jesse was angry, his face set in an expression that would send most grown men running.

"Which little birdie is that?" His curiosity was peaked, the only people in the hospital who knew of his offer were Leanne, Campbell, and Noa. And the resident only knew because she happened upon Ethan on the roof two nights ago, tears streaming down his face as he tried to get himself together before facing Leanne again.

"Leanne's been rather upset the past few days." The nurse started to move towards Ethan and he backed up, his hands going out in front of him defensively. "I asked and she told. Simple as that."

Ethan let out a sigh of relief, as long as the news hadn't traveled any further through the hospital he was safe, for now. "I was given an offer Jesse." Feeling the ache in his chest again at just the simple thought of the issue he plopped into one of the chairs at the little table, running his fingers through his hair.

"An offer for what?" Jesse tried to sound less threatening, feeling as though he probably shouldn't scare the poor man anymore than he already was, the look of fear and pain written all over his face.

"A job." Ethan watched as Jesse sat down next to him at the table, leaning back in his chair a little and raising an eyebrow. "At a hospital in London."

Jesse sighed this time, uttering one simple word. "Ah."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither one of them sure what to say. Ethan leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling, noting that their was an awkward discoloration in a place where it shouldn't be, and tilted his head to the side, trying to get a better look. "I think something up there is leaking."

"Don't change the subject mi amigo." Jesse reached over and slapped the man's head gently before continuing. "Are you going to London?"

Ethan snapped out of his thoughts when the nurse's hand made contact with his cheek and he looked back, offering Jesse a stern but thoughtful look. "I don't know Mama."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Jesse crossed his arms in front of him again, setting his face in a serious expression. "Do you want to go to London or not?"

"I mean," Ethan rubbed his hands over his face as he spoke, "it's a great opportunity. I'd get my own department, be in charge, and I'd probably be a hell of a lot closer to returning to combat than I am now."

"I see." The head nurse reached out, pulling Ethan's hands from his face and looking him in the eye. "Is that what you want?"

Ethan let out another sigh, "Part of me does."

"What about the other part?" Jesse knew he was getting somewhere, the glint of moisture in the doctor's eyes telling him that he had struck a nerve.

"The other part of me keeps reminding myself of how much of an idiot I am for even considering leaving." Jesse let out a chuckle, to which Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"Have you talked to Leanne and Ariel about all this?" Jesse only knew that Leanne was aware of the situation, but if she and the Colonel had talked about it, he hadn't been made privy to those details.

"Yeah." Ethan rubbed at his face again before placing his hands on the table in front of him, wrapping them around his coffee cup to try and still them.

"And…" The nurse leaned forward, offering Ethan a look that told him he wasn't going to get out of this conversation that easily, "how do they feel about all of this?"

"They don't want me to go Jesse." Ethan practically shouted the sentence at the man, his patience with this conversation starting to wear thin. "They don't want me to go and the simple thought of me leaving is killing them." He had tears in his eyes at this point, his hands starting to shake around the cup in front of him.

"And how does the thought of hurting them make you feel?" Jesse reached forward, placing his hands on the doctor's arms to still his trembling.

"It's killing me too." He whispered, looking up at the man, blinking the tears back as he sighed.

"Well then, there's your answer." And with that Jesse stood, patting Ethan on the shoulder as he walked past him. "If the thought of being without them is hurting you this badly, than you shouldn't be doing it." And then he was gone, leaving Ethan to sit alone in the break room, fighting back the tears in his eyes.

He knew Jesse was right. He knew he should stay. The position in London was a great one, but was it really worth leaving all of this? He finally had a family, a place to call home. And that was something that he had been searching for since he lost his mom all those years ago. His decision to join the Army straight out of high school had been the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to his relationship with his father, and he hadn't spoken to the man since. And when he decided to become a doctor and went to Afghanistan for the first time, his sister had all but written him off as well, the 8 year age gap between them having been a catalyst for a rocky relationship from the start. He had no one. Even when he was in the Army, he had avoided getting to close to people. No relationships, no serious friendships, no one he could count on when he needed a shoulder to lean on. He had always just done everything alone.

But now things were different, now he had a family, a home, a place where he felt like he belonged. His relationship with Leanne was the kind of thing he only thought happened to other people, but never to him. He was lucky that he had found her, that much he knew, and he would be stupid to throw that relationship away. He also knew that he was lucky to have Ariel in his life. And even though most people would probably say it was him that had saved her, it was the other way around. She provided him with a sense of belonging, with a purpose, something that he heard often happened when men became fathers. He loved his life with his two girls, with Leanne and Ariel, and he'd be lying if he said that he didn't love both of them with all his heart.

He also couldn't imagine leaving his family at Angels either. While they often drove him insane, he thrived on the calm that they brought to the chaos. Jesse often teased him about leaving, and how he wouldn't miss him when he was gone, but he knew that wasn't true. His friendship with the head nurse having turned greater after the outbreak. He often found himself going to the man for advice or for a good pick-me-up story, especially if it was about Leanne. He had also become quite fond of the residents, and even though they often made him want to scream, they also brought a light to his day that he would never admit to anyone. Noa and Mario's relationship was something he watched closely, feeling a sense of protectiveness over the young girl, her head strong attitude and love of life reminding him of his own sister. And Angus, who had hated him at first, with good reason of course, was definitely warming up to him being around. He found that he could rely on the young man for a lot, both in the hospital and out of it, and he was thankful for the growing friendship.

Then there was Campbell. The man may have been a pain in his ass when he first started, but he begun to grow on the Colonel. He would often find himself having friendly conversations with the man, especially outside of the hospital, his demeanor changing dramatically when they weren't in the throws of a trauma. He still got on Ethan's nerves to no end, his hard-headedness something that not even he could get over. But he knew he was a good man, and he was even starting to become a good friend. Ethan knew that the man had good advice, and that, much like Jesse, he wasn't afraid to tell him how it was. He decided that he had one last person to talk to, one last piece of advice that he needed to hear, and Will was just the man to provide it.

* **Jesse and Ethan's relationship cracks me up, so I tried to keep the humor in there with the angst.**

 ****I also tried to give Ethan some back story here because we really don't know much about him, other than his mother dying at a young age. And since they cut out the scene of him telling Leanne about his fiancé, I'm choosing to ignore that part and I refuse to believe that it's canon.**


	5. Tolerance

_Chapter 5: Tolerance  
"You like me." "I tolerate you." – Ethan goes to Campbell for advice. And he regrets it. Sort of._

Ethan had barely made it down the hallway in search of Campbell when he heard Noa shouting his name from Center Stage. He had rushed her way and then spent the next four hours helping with the victims of a massive car accident. By the time he had finally made it away from the blood soaked floor, night had fallen, and he feared that Campbell had already left. Knowing that if he didn't talk to the doctor soon he would lose all his courage, he made his way straight to the man's office, praying that no one saw him and dragged him away first. When he arrived outside, he was pleased to see that the man's light was still on and he knocked gently.

"Come in." Campbell's voice sounded tired and Ethan knew just how he felt.

Slowly opening the door, Ethan peeked his head in, his hand freezing on the doorknob of the halfway open door. "You got a minute?" He asked quietly, offering the man on the other end of the desk a smile.

"Sure." Dropping his pen and leaning back in his chair Campbell offered the man a questioning look. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Ethan stepped in, pulling the door shut behind him before plopping down in the chair across from Will's.

They sat in silence for a moment, the calming presence of the doctor scaring Will. He knew that Ethan had received the offer for the position in London, but he had yet to talk to the man about it, and he was beginning to fear the worst. He figured that Ethan would've told him whether he was staying or going by now, and his lack of answer was concerning.

"Is this about London?" He tried to sound reassuring, but he was pretty sure that his tone was anything but.

"I don't know what to do Will." Ethan's voice broke and Campbell was shocked, the man rarely showing emotion of any kind while at Angels, and especially not in front of him.

"You haven't decided yet?" Leaning to rest his arms on his desk Will offered the man across from him a solemn look.

"No." He hesitated and Will's curiosity peaked. "I mean," Ethan let out a sigh, his head falling back against the chair. "I want to stay."

"But…" Will knew that hesitation all to well and he was determined that he would get to the bottom of this tormenting situation.

"No, no buts." Ethan picked his head back up, offering the man a smile. "I want to stay." He said it firmly, almost as if he was trying to convince himself more than Will.

"Are you sure?" Campbell leaned back in his chair again, crossing his arms over his chest this time. "You don't sound so sure."

Ethan sighed and ran his hands over his face, making a disgruntled sound before replying. "It's the right thing to do," He picked his head up, looking to the other doctor with a questioning look in his eyes, "right?"

Will chuckled, and judging by the look on Ethan's face, it was not the response he wanted. "What makes you want to leave Ethan? What about London is so appealing?"

"It's a great offer." He dropped his hands to his lap before standing, pacing back in forth in the ER director's small office. "I'd have my own department, my own team. I'd be able to go back to combat."

"And that sounds appealing to you?" Campbell thought the man was insane. As much respect as he had for the men and women in the armed forces, he also thought it crazy that the man wanted to leave the safety of the states for the hellish environment of combat.

"That's where I belong." Ethan sighed again, slowly his pacing down. "Or at least that's what I thought."

Campbell chuckled again, holding his hands up defensively when Ethan shot him another deadly glare. "You think differently now though?"

Ethan nodded his head at the man's question. "I have a good life here. I have a family, friends." He gestured around him, stopping to look out the window of Campbell's office, the open blinds giving him a view of the busy hospital corridor, "I have a place here."

"Then maybe this is where you belong." Will's voice was quiet and Ethan almost didn't hear him, but he turned regardless and raised an eyebrow.

"You think I should stay?" Ethan's voice was shaky again and Will sighed, this roller coaster of a conversation taking years off of his life, and precious minutes out of his day.

"I think you should do what feels right." The look on the good Colonel's face told Will that that was exactly the opposite of what he wanted him to say, so he continued, his next question sending Ethan's heart for a whirl. "What about Leanne and Ariel, don't you belong with them?"

Ethan wanted to slap the man for tugging right at the heart strings, but his question was just what Ethan needed and instead he smiled. "Yes. Yes I do."

Campbell chuckled and this time Ethan didn't shoot him a glare, instead he offered him a smile. "Then you should stay."

Letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding Ethan returned to his spot in the chair across from Campbell. "I'm staying."

Will smiled and leaned forward, offering the man his hand. "Good."

Ethan shook his hand before dropping it, leaning back in the chair and chuckling. "Admit it," He looked up, offering the other man a curious smirk, "you like me."

Campbell huffed, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head back and forth. "I tolerate you." He pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing, willing this conversation to end. "There's a huge difference."

Ethan laughed as he stood, "You'd miss me if I left." He turned and offered the man a smile. "Just admit it." Campbell shook his head back and forth again, setting a serious expression to his face. "Admit it and I'll leave."

Sighing Will dropped his hands in front of him in a sign of defeat. "Fine Willis, I'd miss you if you left." He chuckled when Ethan's face broke out in a beaming smile. "But if you don't get the hell out of my office and stop all this bromance shit I'm going to ship you off myself."

The howl that Ethan let out could be heard down the hallway as he left, Campbell's empty water bottle bouncing off the door frame after him.

 ***Okay, so this chapter didn't get onto paper the way I had written in my head, however, I am quite happy with how it turned out in the end. These two crack me up and I honestly could see them being all love/hate towards each other in a situation like this. I also think that Campbell would probably be a much better friend/man than he is a doctor, so I tried my best.**

 ****Next up, Ethan tells Leanne about his decision, and they do a little making up ;).**


	6. Late Night

_Chapter 6: Late Night  
"Couldn't sleep?" – Ethan gets a late night visitor, not that he's complaining._

 ***Explicit content. You were warned.**

Ethan had headed home to his apartment after leaving the hospital that night, knowing that Leanne and Ariel were probably both fast asleep by this time of night. After showering and pulling on some sweat pants he shot Leanne a text telling her that he needed to talk to her tomorrow. Knowing that he wouldn't get a response back until sometime in the morning he crawled into bed and closed his eyes, sleep taking over within minutes, his body exhausted from the physical and emotional turmoil of the day.

He was awoken a few hours later to the feeling of his bed dipping, a warm body pressing itself into his back. "Leanne?" His question was whispered, unsure if he was dreaming or if the brunette woman who currently held his heart in her hands was indeed in his bed at three in the morning.

"Just me." She whispered, her arm making its way around his stomach, her lips pressing a kiss to his neck.

Ethan rolled over, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. "Couldn't sleep?

He asked, surprised that she had willingly crawled into his bed in the middle of the night, especially after everything they had been through the last few days.

Leanne offered him a smile, her fingers running up and down his bare chest as she spoke. "You said we needed to talk." She pressed another kiss to his neck and looked up at him, her hazel eyes glistening in the moon light. "I figured we should do it now instead of later, before I lost my courage."

Ethan smiled back at her, reaching up to brush her hair from her face, his fingers stroking her cheek gently. "I'm not going." He whispered.

Leanne wanted to respond but she didn't know what to say, so instead she kissed him, her hands cupping his cheeks as she pulled him closer. When they finally broke apart they were both panting, Ethan resting his forehead against hers with a sigh. "You promise?" Leanne's voice cracked and she tried her best to keep the tears from falling.

"I promise." He whispered back, his hands going to thread through her hair. "My place is here," He pressed a kiss to her cheek as he gently rolled them over, moving to straddle her hips, "with you."

Leanne beamed up at him, her hands moving to run through his hair and down his neck and back. "Good." She whispered, this time she didn't even try to hold back the tears and they fell freely from her face as she pulled Ethan in for another kiss.

They laid there for a while in each other's arms, exchanging kisses and trading smiles, their eyes never leaving the other's face. After a few minutes Ethan's hands snaked their way under Leanne's shirt, skimming against the underside of her breasts. He chuckled when she shivered under his touch and he let his face drop to her neck, pressing kisses to the exposed skin. He ran his fingers along her rib cage, moving them down to her hip where he stopped them just above the hem of her pants. He quickly removed her shirt, smirking up at her when he realized that she wasn't wearing a bra, his eyes catching sight of just how aroused she already was.

Moving his eyes back up to hers he offered her a small smile. "You know, we've been doing an awful lot of fighting here lately?" He raised an eyebrow as his hand returned to its place at her hip, letting his fingers wander under the waistband of her leggings.

"Yes we have." She noted, her fingers making their way down his bare back, a sly look in her eye.

Ethan smirked at her response, his head falling to her neck where he nipped gently before moving his lips to her ear. "You know they say that make-up sex is the best sex?" He pressed a kiss against her ear, his hand sliding under her underwear, skimming against her core to prove his point.

Leanne sighed at his touch, the feeling of his hands on her making her forget all the tension that had been present between them the past 2 weeks. "Is it now?" Her voice was husky and it caused Ethan to let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

Offering her a devilish look Ethan claimed her mouth with his as his hand slid further down, moaning when his fingers felt wetness. Leanne bucked against him, her hands going to his head as she pulled him closer, her tongue running along his lips and asking for entrance. Ethan knew she would get back at him later for dragging this out, but right now he didn't care. He slowly slid his hand lower, teasing her with his fingers as he nipped at her bottom lip. Leanne let out a growl when Ethan slid a finger inside of her, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist.

Another finger slid inside her and Leanne hissed "Ethan…" She dragged her nails against his bare back, not caring at all that there would be marks there in the morning, "Please." She pleaded, bucking her hips against him as he stroked her lightly.

Ethan moved his lips to her neck, kissing his way down her shoulder and chest, stopping at her breast so that he could take her nipple in his mouth. He smirked against her skin when she let out a whimper. "Easy girl." He whispered, his mouth slowly kissing its way lower and lower. Leanne moved her hands to his head, eager to pull him back up for a kiss, but he was having none of it. He pressed kisses along her abdomen, stopping to pay special attention to the scars that lined her stomach. He didn't know the stories behind the scars, he didn't feel like he needed to know, but he did know that they made her even more beautiful.

"Beautiful." Ethan whispered against the biggest scar, his fingers moving from inside her so that he could push her leggings and panties down in one quick movement.

Leanne wanted to reply. She wanted to tell him to shut up, that he was crazy, just like she did every other time he muttered those words to her, but she couldn't. She couldn't because for the first time since those scars had been formed she actually felt like his words might just be true. Instead she reached down, using all her might to pull him back up to her, crashing her lips against his as she rolled them over.

Ethan offered her a smirk and a raised eyebrow when they finally pulled apart, dominance something Leanne normally left to him in the bedroom. But before he could speak Leanne's hands were on his sweatpants and she was pulling them down, a sly smile on her face as she ever so subtly grazed her hand along his erection. He let out a hiss, his hands moving to still her movements, pulling her in for another heated kiss.

Leanne giggled against Ethan's lips, her hands running along his jawline before threading through his hair as she deepened the kiss. She sighed when Ethan's hands settled on her hips, squeezing gently as she made the move to sink down on top of him. Letting out a moan Ethan stilled her again, pulling back to look her in the eyes. The moonlight was shining through the window, making her look like an angel hovered above him, and he smiled.

"I…" He almost had the words out when she leaned down and claimed his mouth in hers again, drowning out his words, and he sighed. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, that she was his world and that he didn't know what he was thinking when he considered leaving her. He wanted to tell her just how much she meant to him, but he knew that she wasn't ready. And as much as it killed him, as much as it was breaking his heart to not be able to tell her how much he needed her, he stopped. Instead he deepened the kiss, his hands rubbing up and down her bare back as she rocked above him.

Leanne pulled back just enough to look in Ethan's eyes and offered him a tearful smile. "I know Ethan." She whispered, hoping he would understand what she meant by those words. She hoped that he knew, that she knew, just how much he cared about her. That he understood why it was so hard for her to hear those words. She had never heard them muttered by anyone other than her husband, and even though it had been almost 5 years, she didn't know if she was quite ready to hear them uttered by someone else. Even if that someone else was Ethan.

Ethan just offered her a smile, reaching up to run his fingers through her hair. "Okay." He whispered, pulling her head down until their forehead's were touching. "As long as you know that I'm not going anywhere," He kissed her lips to emphasize his point, "that you're the only one for me." His voice was low, his eyes dark with lust, and something Leanne could only describe as passion. "Then that's all that matters."

Leanne smiled, kissing him deeply as her hands made their way down his chest and back up. "I know." She whispered against his lips. "I know."

Ethan let out something akin to a growl as he flipped them over, his body now hovering over hers. He placed his hands at her sides as he thrust against her, the sound of her moans encouraging his movements. He buried his face against her neck, biting down gently when she ground her hips against his.

Threading her fingers through his hair Leanne held Ethan close as she met him thrust for thrust, moaning his name as she felt herself tighten around him. She felt Ethan thrust one last time, her name slipping from his lips in a low growl as he came within her. Tightening her grip on his head, she let her own release take over her, and came with a low moan.

Ethan held himself up, pressing kisses along Leanne's shoulder as he came down from his high. He wanted nothing more than to tell her that he loved her right then and there, the moment seeming perfect for such a declaration to be made, but again, he refrained. Instead he kissed her, deep and longing, and he was almost certain that her lips would be bruised later on.

"Thank you." She whispered, her hands pulling his head back so that they could lock eyes. "Thank you for not leaving me." Her voice shook, tears streaming down her face as she looked into his ocean blues.

"Never." He choked out, a sob shaking his body above her. Ethan smiled at her through the tears though and ran his fingers down her face, stopping at Leanne's collarbone. He pulled her in for another kiss, pouring every emotion into the gesture, and he hoped she knew that he meant it. That he would never leave her, ever and that she was his, forever.

 ***This chapter was intense for me guys. Like the emotional turmoil that I've put these two through has killed me these past few weeks, so I figured they deserved a chance to make things right. Besides, everyone knows that make-up sex is the best sex right?!**

 ****Next chapter has more Daddy!Ethan :)**


	7. My Girls

***It looks like this will be the last chapter for now. I seem to have lost my inspiration :/**

 _Chapter 7: My Girls_  
 _"I'm not leaving you. Not now. Not ever." – Ethan shares his decision with Ariel._

The next morning Ethan and Leanne decided to make the drive back to her place together, Ethan not wanting to wait another day to tell Ariel that he was indeed staying in LA with them. He knew that the girl would be thrilled, he just hoped that the damage hadn't already been done and that their relationship could be savaged, the past 2 weeks having put a damper on things. By the time they arrived at Leanne's house Ethan was a nervous wreck, his hands trembling against the steering wheel of his Jeep.

"We can talk to her together if you want." Leanne whispered, reaching out to steady his hands. She knew how hard this whole thing had been on him, and she knew that he was feeling the weight of his decision in many ways. She also knew that rebuilding his relationship with Ariel was important to him, and that he wanted nothing more than to be a family again.

"No, it's okay," He looked over, offering the woman beside him a smile, and turned his hand in hers, squeezing gently, "I got this."

"Okay." Leanne offered him a smile in return as she reached to undo her seatbelt, exiting the vehicle quietly. Making her way up the steps of the house she hesitated when she noticed Ethan wasn't by her side. Instead, he was standing in the driveway, his eyes focused on the house, a longing look in his eyes. "You coming?"

Ethan snapped out of his thoughts at Leanne's words and quietly made his way up the drive, stopping to stand next to Leanne at the front door. He waited while she quietly unlocked the door and stepped in behind her as she made her way inside. He heard movement upstairs, knowing the teen had more than likely been up for a while, and his heart stopped. "I don't know if I can do this Leanne." He whispered, his hand reaching out to grab a hold of hers. "What if I can't fix this?"

"You can Ethan," Leanne squeezed Ethan's hand tightly and pulled him close, "just by staying you're making the right choice." She pulled him in for a kiss, resting her forehead against his gently. "You two are going to be just fine."

Ethan tried to offer her a smile, but his nerves weren't allowing it. Instead he just swallowed, his eyes moving to look at the top of the stairs when he heard the teen's bedroom door open. He squeezed Leanne's hand again but stayed grounded to his spot, his face softening at the sight of the teenager.

"Ethan!" Ariel all but shouted the man's name as she made her way down the stairs quickly, her arms reaching out for the man at the bottom. "I didn't know you were coming!"

She threw her arms around him excitedly, causing the man to finally crack a smile, his arms wrapping tightly around the young girl. "Surprise." He whispered, his eyes going to Leanne's, the look of warmth on her face giving him the last bit of courage he needed. "I thought we could talk about some things." He gently pushed the girl at arm's length and offered her a gentle look.

"I have school." Ariel looked at Leanne, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Maybe Ethan can take you?" Leanne offered the suggestion both in hopes of allowing the two some alone time and also in hopes of getting herself a much needed shower before her shift started in an hour.

"Okay." Ariel's reply was simple as she let go of the man's arms, moving to the kitchen to grab her lunch. "Can we stop for breakfast?"

Ethan chuckled at her question, his stomach growling in response. "Yes," He turned to Leanne and offered her a look that said she was going to regret this decision, "we can most definitely stop for breakfast."

Ariel smiled as she walked past the couple, heading for Ethan's car with her backpack slung over her shoulder. She climbed into the passenger seat and waited, giving the two adults a moment to say goodbye.

"This will be good for you both." Leanne smiled up at Ethan as she ran her hands from his shoulders to his hands, squeezing gently. "I promise." She leaned up to kiss him and chuckled when he pretended to be angry, pulling away from her ever so slightly.

"I'm going to purposefully buy her something incredibly unhealthy." He smirked, pulling her against his chest with a laugh.

"Good." Leanne wrapped her arms tightly around Ethan's waist, resting her head against his heart. "That's what fathers are for anyway."

Ethan squeezed her back gently, pressing a kiss to her head. "I'll see you at work." He whispered, his hands falling to her waist as he pulled back.

"Yes you will." Leanne leaned in for one last kiss before pulling away from the Colonel. "Be safe."

"Always." Ethan smiled up at her as she ascended the stairs with a chuckle. He quietly shut the door behind him, locking the bottom lock with his key, and headed towards the black SUV in the driveway.

"Is everything okay?" The teen didn't waste any time. Quietly buckling her seatbelt as the man next to her did the same. Her heart was racing and she'd never tell Ethan, but she thought she was going to throw up with anticipation. She was desperately hoping that he hadn't made the decision to leave them behind, her heart aching at the thought of losing the older man.

"Yeah Ariel," Ethan put the vehicle in reverse and slowly backed out of the drive, his own heart pounding in his chest, "everything's fine."

"Tomorrow's the deadline for your decision on the job offer isn't it?" The strangled words barely left the girl's mouth, her hands folding in her lap to keep herself calm.

"Yeah it is." A sigh left Ethan's mouth as he made the turn towards their favorite donut shop and he could see Ariel's smile out of the corner of his eye.

Ariel didn't know what to say. She wanted to ask him if he was leaving. She wanted to ask him if he was staying. But her heart was so tangled at the moment that she couldn't get any of the words out, instead she leaned her head back against the seat and sighed.

Ethan chuckled at the teen's reaction, thinking that if he had gotten any other response from the girl he might have had a reason to worry. Reaching over he squeezed her hand, smiling to himself when she refused to let go until they reached the little shop down the street. After making their way inside and ordering their food, coffee and donuts for both, hers with extra sprinkles, his with cereal on top, they made their way to a small table in the back and sat down.

Taking a bite of her donut Ariel decided that it was now or never, and that if she was going to ask about it she might as well just get it over with. "Are you leaving?"

Her voice was quiet, and Ethan thought that he had never seen someone look so sad while eating a donut before and it broke his heart. "No." He whispered back, taking a sip of his coffee and offering the teen a smile. "I'm not leaving Ariel."

It took it a moment to sink in, the teen so sure that his answer would be 'yes', but when it finally hit her she smiled the biggest smile Ethan had ever seen. "Seriously?"

Ethan laughed, reaching out to brush a sprinkle from the girl's cheek, and gave her just the answer she wanted to hear. "Seriously."

Ariel didn't hesitate to jump up, running over and throwing her arms around the man shoulders, burying her face against his neck. "Thank you." She replied, not caring if everyone in the donut shop thought she was crazy.

"You're welcome." The Colonel replied back, the smile never leaving his face as the teen removed herself from his arms, returning to her seat across from him.

"Why?" Ariel knew that it probably wasn't her place to ask, this being a personal issue and all, but she figured it was worth a shot.

Ethan offered her a look, one that told her that he was just as surprised with her boldness as she was, and then replied. "Because I realized that my place is here." He paused for a moment, taking another sip of his coffee before continuing. "I belong here, with you and Leanne." He smiled back at the girl, the tears of happiness in her eyes confirming for him that he had made the right call, "I was an idiot to think any differently."

Ariel sniffled as she wiped at her tear filled eyes with the back of her hand. "So you're really staying with us?"

Ethan nodded his head and reached across the table, taking the girl's free hand in his. "I'm staying." He squeezed her hand gently and offered her a tearful smile of his own. "I'm not leaving you guys. Not now," He squeezed again, hoping to reassure the girl as best as possible, "not ever."

Ariel rose again, wrapping her arms around Ethan's neck for a third time that morning, and held on tightly. "I love you Ethan." She whispered against his shoulder, her tears leaving water marks on his gray Army shirt.

"I love you too kid." He whispered against her hair, his arms holding her in place tightly. "You have no idea."

 ****Guys I'm telling you, these angsty chapters are not good for my emotional health! This family is just too easy to make suffer! Besides, doesn't Daddy!Ethan just make your heart melt? Because writing Ethan and Ariel together tugs at my heart strings like you wouldn't believe.**

 *****I hope you guys enjoyed! Don't forget to comment!**


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